A Ghostly Friend

Genia sat on her red antique sofa in her living room. The lights had already flickered and she knew that only one thing would happen.   And she was ready. Milo, her cat, got up from the sofa, looked at Genia and then ran into the bedroom. 

Genia scooted over on the sofa to make room. She held out her hand and she felt  the warmness of someone touching her. It felt like a warm hug but in her one hand. Genia could see the ghostly figure of her friend, Nora. She and Nora had grown up together in a peaceful middle class neighborhood with tree lined streets and houses thaGenia sat on her old fashioned antique red love seat. She loved sitting there. Her grandmother gave it to her before she died and that was Genia’s favorite place to sit in the house. Genia was waiting for something. She knew that every evening at 8:43 PM the lights would flicker and that was the sign. Genia sipped her peppermint tea and crossed her legs. Her cat, Milo, came out of the bedroom and  was perched behind her sitting on the top of the love seat as he always did each night. Genia looked at her phone and saw that she had two minutes to wait. She took another sip of her now tepid tea and sat it on the coffee table in front of her. The coffee table was another gift that her grandmother had given to her on her 20th birthday when she moved from her parents house to her own apartment. Her parents thought that she was too young to live on her own but not her Nana. Nana knew that Genia could handle it and she helped her any way she could including calming down Genia’s mom whom Genia thought was going to cry forever. 

It was 8:43 and the lights flickered again.  Genia sat up straighter and smiled. Milo even looked up and basically all looked the same. The houses only varied in color and backyard size. Nora lived a few houses down from Genia. Genia’s parents had moved there when she was in the first grade. Genia’s mom was a doctor and wanted to start a practice there with her best friend. 

Genia didn’t like being there and she really didn’t like starting a new school. She was perfectly fine at her old school in Huckberry with her old friends. However, she didn’t like Tommy James because he always tried to pull her long braids. But, Genia put a stop to that when she told his mom. He never pulled her hair again after that.  She was sure she was not going to like this school. It was too big and had too many kids going there. Too many big kids. She liked her old small school. She missed living in the small city. Although her mom and dad told her it was going to be fine and she would make more friends she didn’t believe them. She wanted her old friends and her old school. 

The first day of school came on the last day of August. Genia was not ready for that. She dresses herself in her new blue jeans with the flowers going down the pant legs and puts on her new blue belt to match the jeans. She wore her long white shirt and her favorite pink sneakers. Her mom pulled her hair back into one long ponytail and braided it and put a small blue bow on the end of it. Genia grabbed her backpack from the bed and told her mom she objected to going to this new school she knew that she would hate. Her Nana was there that morning and Nana walked her to school a few blocks away. Genia held Nana’s hand all the way there as tightly as she could. She didn’t want to let go even when they approached the schoolyard. But, Nana told her that she was going to be okay and winked and called her Supergirl, her nickname.  Genia walked to her classroom and sat alone at a desk with her name on it. Next to her desk was a girl named Nora. Nora  was a little taller than Genia, had long black hair and big blue eyes. She was also wearing jeans with flowers on the pant legs. Nora smiled at Genia and by lunch time they were best friends. They stayed best friends until they graduated high school. Nora went to college in a different state and Genia decided college was not for her and got a job in her uncle’s company bookkeeping. Genia was always good with numbers so that was the perfect job for her. She moved out of her parents at 20 and rented a small apartment on the East side of the city. She and Nora kept in touch though. They called each other once a week and told each other about their lives.  Nora had started dating Kev, as she called him, a few months before she passed away. Genia never met him but was sure that he was the wrong guy for her friend. Turns out she was right. One night Nora and Kev were on a date, or what Genia called it a night at the bar drinking, Kev loved to drink. Nora was not much of a drinker but she went along with him when she could. That particular night something awful happened. Genia didn’t know all the details but when Nora’s older sister called her and said that Nora had been shot and was in the hospital Genia knew that Kev probably had something to do with it.  She was right about that also.

Genia flew out of Hillairy Town, where Nora was going to school, and she went to the hospital. When she got to the hospital Nora was not doing well. Nora’s sister told Genia to say her good-bye’s because Nora was not going to make it. Genia wanted to break down right then and there but she had to be strong for Nora. She entered the room slowly and saw her friend lying there with tubes and her head and face were swollen. Nora’s eyes were closed until Genia sat down on the metal stool next to her. Nora opened up her eyes and Gena swore she smiled at her.  Nora could not talk but Genia could and told her how much she loved her and Nora squeezed her hand and closed her eyes for the last time. 

That same night Nora came to Genia. Genia thought that it was a dream but she was not asleep. A wave of peace came over her and she smiled. That night she knew that Nora was okay and in a better place and she knew that although she would not have her friend on this earth anymore she would still have her in another form and another way. Nora told her that. 

Of course, Genia didn’t tell anyone about her ghostly visit from Nora. After all, who would believe her? She kept it to herself. Nora started visiting Genia every night about two years after she passed away. She would visit her at the same time every night. That time had meaning for them when they were little. At  8:43 PM that was the time they had their first sleep over at Nora’s house.  They were in the third grade then and were supposed to be asleep by 8:30. Those were the rules. But, they were up until 8;43 and that was their special time. They decided that. Then something incredible happened. When Nora passed away it was 8:43. 

The lights flickered again and Genia laughed. Genia started telling Nora about her life and her day like they used to do. Nora never said anything. Genia wanted to ask her what the afterlife was like but knowing Nora, if she was going to speak she probably would not speak about that. Some things would remain a mystery until you got there. Genia felt the warmth of her friend’s spirit and never wanted that warmth to leave her body. She chatted with her sometimes for a few minutes and sometimes for an hour. Genia always made tea for herself and Nora. When they were little they would have tea parties with pretend tea while dressed in big sun hats and boas. They called themselves sophisticated ladies. Of course, Genia knew that Nora could not drink the tea and she was being silly to make tea for her but she didn’t care. This was her time with her friend, even in the spirit form.

For five years Genia saw Nora every night. In the sixth year she didn’t see her again. She felt like an angel who was watching over her but the nightly visits stopped. Genia told her Nana about the visits after they stopped. She didn’t know why. Nana was always a spirtiful person and the smartest person she knew. She drove ten miles to Nana’s house and knocked on the door.

“Supergirl, come on in.” Nana said as she gave Genia a big hug.

“Hey Nana.” Genia said.

Genia followed Nana to the kitchen where Nana was drinking tea and eating a blueberry muffin. She poured Gena some tea and put a muffin on a small plate covered with blue and red flowers. Genia sat across from Nana at the kitchen island and sipped some of the hot peppermint tea in her cup. 

“So, what’s up?” Nana asked.

“Can’t I just come and see you without you thinking that something is up?” Genia laughed.

“You can but I know you, Supergirl. You look troubled. Do you want to tell me what is going on?” Nana said.

“Well, Nana, this might sound strange, or even a little crazy, but I swear it is all true.” Genia said, putting down her cup of tea in front of her. 

“Okay, tell me. You know that Nana has seen a lot, lived a lot and knows a lot so there probably ain’t nothing that will surprise me.” 

“Well, Nana, do you remember my friend, Nora? She used to live down the street from my parents.” 

“Yes, I remember her. The little girl with the long braids and the big blue eyes. She was your first friend when you moved right?” Nana asked.

“Yes, well, you know she died several years ago and since then well, well, I have been seeing her spirit. She used to visit me every night.” Genia said, lowering her eyes looking at the floor.

“And?” Nana asked.

“And you don’t think that it is strange that she came to visit and I could actually see her spirit and that I talked to her?” Genia asked.

“No, baby, I don’t think that is strange at all. Your grandpa used to do the same thing. I saw him too for a year after he passed on.  I think that he just wanted to watch over me for a little while and make sure I was okay. He always took care of me in life and I believe that he was doing the same thing in death.” Nana explained.

“And you didn’t tell anyone?” Genia asked.

“Who was I supposed to tell? No, I didn’t tell anyone, especially my sister, Anna Mae. She would definitely not understand.” Nana laughed.

“So, baby girl, tell me about the visits.” Nana continued.

“Well, for a few years Nora would come to me and we would or I would talk to her about my day and life like we did when she was alive. Of course she never said anything back to me but it was nice and I always felt better afterwards. I can’t explain it but it felt like the warmest hug ever when she was there. She would be there sometimes for a long time and sometimes a short time. At first I thought I was dreaming. But, I was wide awake when it happened. And then this year she stopped coming. I waited for her at our usual time and waited for the signal, the lights flickering but it never came and she never came. I don’t understand why.” Gena said.

“I know why baby. She stopped coming because you don’t need her anymore. The same with your grandpa. When I didn’t need him anymore he stopped coming. But, that doesn’t mean that they don’t stil watch out for us. It just means that they are at peace now knowing that we are at peace without them being on this earth.” Nana said, sipping some of her cool tea. 

“So, I will never see her again?” Genia asked.

“I can’t say if you will or you won’t. All I know is that you and I both will be okay until we see them again, hopefully in the afterlife.” Nana said.

“Nana, did you feel that?” Genia asked.

“Feel what?” Nana asked.

“All of a sudden it got warm here. Tell me that you noticed that.” Genia said.

“Yes, I noticed. Now, come and give your Nana a hug so we can go shopping.” Nana said laughing. 

“Nana, do you believe that there is an after-life? “ Genia asked, looking at her Nana in her big brown eyes.

“I  sure hope so, Baby. Now are you driving or am I? “ Nana said as she grabbed her house keys and they walked out of the door. 

Nora and Grandpa smiled as they watched them go.